The Michael reaction is a known process wherein a Michael acceptor is reacted with a Michael donor in the presence of a basic catalyst to elongate a carbon chain. At one time, Michael reactions were always conducted by a homogeneous basic catalysis achieved by dissolving a basic compound in a reactant or by solubilizing it with the aid of a solvent or a phase transfer catalyst--such reactions being taught, e.g., in PCT application WO 93/13188 (Sabahi), U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,043 (Sabahi et al.), and the references cited therein. Then, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,875 (Kumar et al.), it was unexpectedly discovered that an undissolved basic catalyst could be used to catalyze the reactions.
The heterogeneously catalyzed processes of Kumar et al. have advantages over the previously-known Michael reactions. However, like the homogeneously catalyzed processes, they require longer reaction times than are desired in the preparation of addition products from dialkyl malonates and alkyl acrylates.